Crimson Thread
by diamonddemonlord
Summary: Sister fic to Threads of Fate by ButterflyBabyBlue. This fic is from Ghirahim's POV during the events and what he wanted to do.
1. Chapter 1

The first day of school was always a great bore to Ghirahim, which was for certain. Nothing really caught his interest, and he had taken his usual spot at the back of the class, tuning most of the things around him out. He hid behind his hair as usual, watching as the other kids filtered in, and two new faces he hadn't seen before joined the group. One of them was average looking, but the other… He looked quite attractive in his own right, a very adorable visage and all. The two spoke with another boy- Fledge, was it? - and the boy in the green shirt turned, his eyes locking onto Ghirahim.

He caught some of the conversation that the other boy and Fledge were talking about. The new kid was inquiring about some of the teachers, but what the boy in green had voiced definitely attracted his interest.

"Who's that guy over there?" Ghirahim smirked at the question, his hoodie making him feel a little more secure in the area, even though he projected quite the confident person, he wasn't all that confident really.

There was a description of what Ghirahim was before the bell rang, and the kids filtered out to go to their next class, and Ghirahim got to his feet fluidly, chasing down that boy, and placing a hand on his shoulder and giving a gentle tug to get him to turn to face him.

"Fresh fish." He grinned, smoothly murmuring to him, laughing internally at the boy. He forced him against the wall a bit and leaned over to whisper in the boy's ear. "Learn your place, and your experience in this school could be a good one."

The boy nodded and Ghirahim pulled back, grinning. "Draw too much attention to yourself, and I'll have to take charge…"

"I-I won't draw attention…" The boy's blue eyes were wide with terror and it was absolutely wonderful, but some part at the back of his mind cried out at him. Everything that his dad did… he did to others… he had to stop, but it was just too fun…

"So scared…" Ghirahim mused to himself, grinning again, letting go and turning. "So delightful!"

And with that, he left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

His mind wandered over various subjects, seated in Horwell's class, and he found the class to be quite infuriating. To make matters worse, the professor had decided to have the class introduce themselves to the new students, one of which the teenager had already introduced himself to – and threatened what could quite possibly be bodily harm on the boy- and when the boy had caught sight of him earlier in the class, he had grinned, toying with the brat somewhat.

Horwell introduced himself first, and then directed it to the _princess_ of the school. Oh how he loathed her very existence. Just another person he hated, just another reason why he shouldn't be kind to others. Just another thing to get in his way.

The introductions made their way around the classroom until everyone fell silent.

It was his introduction.

"My name is Ghirahim." He started, a cool smirk showing on his lips. "I enjoy fighting." He could feel the gaze of everyone in the class on him, and part of him wanted to go curl up and die somewhere, somewhere where he didn't have to face any of his problems. "I take pleasure in… how should I put it… getting to know people, inside and out." His grin grew, knowing that boy was squirming where he sat.

The other new student introduced himself as Pipit, and Ghirahim found him to be an average boy with average interests. His little friend swallowed.

"I'm Link. I, eh, like video games and… reading." He looked away and Ghirahim internally giggled at how he was so uncomfortable in his situation.

The bell rang after a short amount of time, and Ghirahim got up to get to Science.

Although, when he got there, he was given quite the surprise. A certain brat was sitting in his usual seat and he gritted his teeth, wanting to shove him out of there, but being polite, Ghirahim let out a small puff of air. He dropped his bag to the floor, and it startled the other, and Ghirahim acted like nothing was out of the ordinary. He took the other seat of the workbench and sat on it.

"Oh, it's you." He began, not looking at the other, setting out his things and turning to glance at him. "I don't mean to be rude, but you're sitting at my desk."

Obviously this had Link a little off-guard, and Ghirahim thought the frantic look on his visage was quite fitting of him. "Oh, but I forgot you are new here." He laughed. "Normally, seeing someone sit down in my place would make me absolutely sick with anger. You see, on the very first day I walked into this classroom, I claimed this desk as my own. It's become sort of a trademark, if you will."

"I… W-Well I didn't-" He was flustered, and Ghirahim laughed again, blue eyes blinking in surprise.

"Don't apologize. It's your first day, after all. You can sit with me, then. It'll be fabulous." He grinned again, flashing perfect white teeth at the other, his mind foggy and distant for some reason. Were the voices in his head trying to get some information into him or something?

"What? N-No, I-" He started and Ghirahim cut him off.

"_I _insist."


	3. Chapter 3

Time passed, and Horwell started his ramble, freezing with a grin as he realized Link would be stuck with the older teenager for the rest of the semester. The science teacher – not that he was much of a competent teacher in the first place for science- told the class that they must find out as much as possible out about the other person sitting beside them and Ghirahim smirked. He turned at the prospect of taking him apart and finding out how they ticked, precisely how he mentioned he liked getting to know other people when he introduced himself to the two new brats. Link was going to be fun to fuck up.

"So, your name is Link, and you're sixteen years old." Ghirahim had a sheet of paper out and writing the way a gossip columnist takes down gossip, except he was taking down only the facts. "Doesn't appear to be wealthy, Clothes are plain and are rumpled; clearly they've been worn more than once this week. Very slight wrinkling under the eyelids; a good sleeper. A small frown, though hardly more than a crease between the eyebrows. Seems nervous, understandable in my presence. His friends have told him about me, and he worries." He looked him over and jotted down what he could take down, figuring out this boy like a puzzle, and it was so fun, he was so open and he let off more clues about himself than he let on.

"Left-handed. Doesn't play an instrument –a shame- but spends a considerable amount of time playing… video games, wasn't that what you told Horwell?" Ghirahim's eyes flicked down to Link's hands, grinning as he continued to take him apart brick by brick. He grinned as the other opened his mouth much like a fish when it was taken out of water.

"There's no way you can do that," He spluttered and Ghirahim's grin only seemed to get wider, he liked this boy, he liked him quite a bit and it had only been a little while. _Maybe he could be the one to keep me focused on what's real_… Ghirahim thought quickly. "That's just... How?"

"Simple," Ghirahim interrupted both him and his train of thoughts, derailing them at the station. "I _did_ say I liked getting to know people, didn't I?"

He scrawled some more things and made a point with the last word to lift his hand and he noted that Link had seen such a word.

_Unobservant_.

"My turn," Link muttered, giving him a sharp glare and Ghirahim had to laugh.

"Such a nasty look you're giving me," Ghirahim placed his other hand on his chest in mock offence. "You appear to be very fickle. So nervous one minute, and then giving me looks that could kill." And he wrote that down, too.

Link looked annoyed. "What age are you?"

Ghirahim grinned again. Link was quite entertaining to push around. "Sixteen. Sixteen years, nine months and three days, to be exact."

Link looked slightly disturbed by how precisely he was able to recite his age. Ghirahim enjoyed to prattle off little things like that.

Link continued with weak, common questions, and Ghirahim continued to write them all down, grinning as he flipped the page over, filling it with things that he was sure Link wasn't even aware of himself.

Something caught his attention and Ghirahim looked up, brushing his hair from his face, revealing the diamond tattoo he had on his cheek.

"You have a tattoo?" Ghirahim gave him a sly smile and nodded, letting his hair fall back in place. "What other secrets do you have?"

Ghirahim thought for a moment. _Not that, not that, especially not that, he'd find me weirder than I already am, the fact that… That would be the safest bet after all. _

"Honestly, I have to admire your bravery," Ghirahim started and smiled. "Not many would ask me about my own family, let alone the secrets I keep." Not even his good friends knew all of his secrets. Not about his mom, or his father. He loathed that word. He hate, hate, hated that word, even in the most innocent of contexts.

Reasons why he would rather die alone than marry someone and have kids. He didn't want to be a repeat of his father. His mother had none of his hate…

Thinking about this subject really had him distracted from his current target and he mentally slapped himself to get himself back on task.

_Your mother hates you, she never did a thing to stop him and it's your fault she is where she is. Everything is because of you, you never do a good thing. You're crazy and you'll be locked away one day, because you murdered someone, or you've just gone nuts. _The voice broke through and his hand itched to slip to where he kept his stash of pills in his pocket, but he didn't give a clue of what was going on.

_Shut up_. He mentally hissed at the voice.

"I suppose I'll let you in on a well-known secret," He smiled and leaned forward, Link's eyes widening and searching his revealed eye. He moved closer, an inch away, and Link seemed to have gone stiff, and he inhaled, Link's confusion before he exhaled and the smell his breath had made the other hack and cough. Ghirahim laughed as he sat back, watching as Link spluttered.

"You smoke." He muttered, looking away, noting it down on the sheet he had with so few things noted compared to the elder's almost novel length notes that he had taken of the other.

"I do indeed. Not enough to make it obvious, though; I'm not _that_ stupid. Don't you smoke?" It was something he used along with alcohol to escape his reality. The crazy reality. Drunk was much better than the living nightmare of voices he couldn't escape.

"No!" He snapped, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"You don't smoke… Scared, are we?" Ghirahim pressed, raising a thin eyebrow. "Ever had any alcohol?"

"I've had champagne once or twice," Link muttered, looking away, and Ghirahim cackled with laughter again, leaning his chin on his palm and his elbow on the desk.

"Oh, you'll be a _lot_ of fun," He grinned, just as suspected, and he tried to press the voice away, and it laughed at him before fading away.

"What?" Link was confused again, and Ghirahim giggled a little.

"You'll be fun to mess with. Fun to mess up." He grinned. The bell rang and he stood up, leaning over to whisper in Link's ear.

"When we get our lunch break after this next class, wait fifteen minutes with your friends," he said, tone devoid of any emotion. "Then, make an excuse. I don't care what it is –you have to talk to a teacher, go to the bathroom, _something_- as long as you get out of their sight. Wait another five minutes and leave the school. If you leave through the front doors and keep turning right, you'll see two dumpsters. Green and black; you'll spot them right away. I expect you to be there, _on time_." He murmured, squeezing his shoulder before whirling and leaving the room, whipping his phone out in the process.

"Shut up." He hissed to the voice. "And keep quiet."


	4. Chapter 4

Ghirahim waited for Link, knowing that he should escort him to where he and his friends spent every lunch together, the two spending most of their free time together, hooking up soon after the first day they had been together.

His class before the break had been boring as ever, and he had spent most of the period trying to focusing farther away from the voices in his head, and more on the lesson, but with his condition, it was difficult in some classes than others. Sometimes he just didn't get a moment to himself.

Ghirahim saw Link's head bob into view and he almost ran right into the pale teen. "Right on time." He announced, letting a smile cross his lips, inwardly snarling at the voices, telling them soon he was going to be unable to hear them, and the relief that always came with drinking himself drunk was something he loved to escape to. He grasped Link's arm and led him to the dumpsters, grinning when they arrived.

"Voila!" He announced, pulling him behind him as he walked over to his friends.

_They aren't really your friends. They only act like they like you because they pity you, you sad son of a bitch_. The voices chanted religiously inside his head, and he snarled mentally, and the voices fell silent. A shape caught his eye and his grip on Link's sleeve loosened a touch. A blank eyed and black skinned figure grinned at him tauntingly and Ghirahim's lips stretched tight, wanting to scream at it to get the hell out of here. But it was fine, the thing would leave him soon enough.

His friends were perched on the tops of the trashcans, cigarettes already lit and caught between Ardaia's lips, the red head grinning mischievously at Link. He cheered and clinked his wine glass with his boyfriend's, smirking at him, before really looking over Link.

"This is the new guy you were talking about, then?" Ardaia's speech was slurred already, and he brushed some crimson hairs from his face. Ghirahim had to wonder how much wine they had already. _Save some for me_… A part of him cried.

"Indeed, Ardaia." Ghirahim smiled up at him, pulling Link along a little more. The boy looked between the three older teens, panic clear on his face. Ghirahim frowned internally. He hadn't meant for the boy to be this uncomfortable, but a part of him giggled gleefully.

_Friends… I don't have very many._

_Why is that? Why is it directed at me, that statement? Are you blaming me, boy? You have nobody to blame but yourself._

_It's not true! You're the one who constantly makes me so… unnerved! Fuck off for once and let me have some peace of mind! Help me!_

"This is Rynae," Ardaia guestured to the other sitting not too far away from him. "And like Ghirahim said, I'm called Ardaia. What might your name be?" He questioned the newcomer to their little group.

"Um, Link." His voice was timid and quiet.

Rynae grinned and Ardaia gave a bark of laughter. "Link, simple and sweet, eh?"

"Oh, this one's pretty simple, all right." Ghirahim replied, his tone smooth, giving nothing that his friends would suspect away. Most of the time, he only showed what was going on his head when everything was quickly becoming too much for him. He glanced at Link, his pretty face pointed in a glare at him.

"A spark of defiance, I like it." Ardaia laughed again, clapping at the expression Link wore on his face.

Link crossed his arms and stepped away from Ghirahim, eyes widened, looking like a cornered animal about to bite.

_Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all._

"I think our newcomer should be entreated to some rosé wine," Rynae suggested after a shake of his head, Ghirahim looking up and smiled at his friend. He gave a delighted laugh, tilting his head a fraction to the side.

"Of course." He agreed, Link shaking his head at the statements.

"I'm not drinking wine, Ghirahim." Link's voice was firm and blunt and the tone of _I'm not putting up with your shit today, leave me alone_. But Ghirahim wasn't going to let him have his way.

He turned and Ghirahim reached out and quickly snatched the hood of his sweater and pulled him back. Link looked at him pleadingly.

"I don't want to drink it, Ghirahim; you can't make me." He snapped, his eyes flashing.

"Oh, I can. And unless you want to discover what will happen if you don't drink it, you'll do so happily." Ghirahim replied coolly, his voice smooth and promising.

Link winced at the threat that he murmured to the younger teen. His friends were also silenced, their eyes trained on the other teen. After a moment, Link slowly nodded and Ghirahim grinned. He grabbed Link's arm and led him over, a firm grip on his arm that promised that the boy wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon.

The pale sixteen year old lept up onto the dumpster beside Rynae, putting the voice out of his mind for the moment. He gestured to Link to do the same as he did, his friend looking at him and grinning.

"A short one, go on and help him up, Ghirahim, it's the least you can do." Rynae added at the blank stare Link was giving the group of three. Ghirahim sighed and rolled his eyes, leaning over and offering a hand to the short teen.

He grudgingly took it and Ghirahim hauled him up beside him, plopping him between Rynae and himself, their legs dangling over the edge of the dumpster.

"Sacre bleu." Ghirahim grinned at Link.

Ardaia reached behind him and produced a bottle full of some of Ghirahim's favourite wine. (Most wine was his favourite, but that was another story.) A wine glass was quickly offered to Link via Rynae almost fluidly and as if they had practised this (they had, with each other, passing around wine glasses to each other was something the three practised often, _daily_ if you must.)

Ghirahim plucked it from his hands, passing it to Ardaia, who filled the glass half-full with the wine. Link took it back, staring into the glass at the alchohol, and part of Ghirahim cried out for the wine.

_If Link doesn't drink that, I am going to_. He thought, but quickly restrained himself. Link's eyes were squeezed shut and he took a swig of it, hoping to get it down as quickly as possible, and Ghirahim cried out mentally. _You don't gulp it no no no no no no no_, he thought, slightly appalled by his actions and also was taunted by it, sooner or later, that hate would turn into a need and Link would gladly come to them to drink more, as they would become his little secret, wasting away with the need for wine. Becoming a drunk. Like Ghirahim was at times when he needed it the most.

"What do you think?" Rynae's question broke through the dense fog of thoughts that constantly jumbled Ghirahim's mind, his broken, broken mind. He looked up at them.

"It's weird." Link muttered, and Ghirahim draped an arm across his shoulders, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Wine is an acquired taste." Ghirahim smiled. "There's still some left, go ahead and finish it." He told the other teenager firmly.

He shook his head and Ghirahim placed his hand on Link's, tilting the glass to his lips and Link drank the remainder of the wine reluctantly, making a bitter looking face afterwards, and Ghirahim remembered his first glass. The face he was making was not too far from what Ghirahim had done. In fact, he threw up after his first sip. Link was much better than he had been.

"You like it?" Ardaia asked, rummaging around in the small stash of wines he had with him in his rucksack, producing a bottle of a crimson wine and grinning up at Link.

"Syrah." He announced as he clambered onto the dumpster and opened the bottle, refilling glasses. "You'll like this one, Link."

Rynae sat up straight and patted Link's back, "Wine's nicer than it seems at first." He informed him. "I'm sure that you'll eventually come to like it." The younger teen nodded and Ghirahim passed him the glass.

"Try this one. I promise you'll enjoy it." Ghirahim murmured, pressing it into his hand, and Link took it, tilting it and staring at his reflection in the glass, pondering something. He sighed and took a sip, slowly draining the glass of wine.

_Much better, Link_. Ghirahim thought. He didn't move his arm, still keeping it slung around his shoulders.

After a few minutes, Rynae spoke up. "Link? You want a cigarette?"

Ghirahim snapped himself out of a small daze he had placed himself in, giving in to listen a little to the voice in his head. "Light him one." He ordered. Rynae pulled out a pack of cigarettes, tugging one out and lighting it up, passing it to Link.

He fumbled, and the cigarette tumbled to the ground from his hands. _Link's tipsy. Oh, such a lightweight. Remember when you were a lightweight? Drinking yourself drunk after school whenever you had the chance, fleeing the house…_

Ghirahim sighed, Rynae hopping off and stamping out the cigarette to prevent it from starting a fire. He sighed, lighting a second and passing it to Ghirahim, and he took it between two gloved fingers, turning to Link.

"Please…" His voice was weak. "Please don't…"

Ghirahim hushed him. "Shh… Just one, Link. Just one, that's all." He placed the tobacco product at Link's lips and he looked about to cry, and he was as he took the cigarette, taking a large puff.

It wasn't a surprise he gagged and started coughing. He hacked and wheezed before suddenly lurching over and brought up what was in his stomach and the smell hit Ghirahim's nose in a matter of seconds, and his hands were on Link's back and forearms to brace him, rubbing his back, in a matter of seconds. Link was sitting upright, and Ghirahim felt so sorry.

_Bad boy, you did it again_. The voice teased. Rynae wiped sweat away from Link's forehead, Ardaia packing away the wine quickly. Ghirahim's hand rubbed circles between Link's shoulder blades, remembering when he was in Link's position, exactly what he was doing, but he had been much worse.

"Ghirahim, I'm going to go and get something to clean him up. Be back in a few." Rynae hopped off the bin and fled the scene to go get some cloths to clean up the newest victim of their chocking peer pressure. Oh, how Ghirahim hated how he made decisions sometimes, but he couldn't help it…

He hated how his mind worked.

He hated himself.

"What are we going to tell his teachers?" Ardaia asked quietly, staring across at Ghirahim.

"The truth." Ghirahim replied. "He got sick."

Link swiveled his head around to snap a glare at Ghirahim. "Don't ever make me do that again, don't make me smoke another cigarette and I don't want wine!" His voice wanted it to be a demand but it came out a plea, and Link weakly shoved himself away from Ghirahim.

Ghirahim folded his hands neatly in front of himself, staring intently at Link. "Link, it was your first time, you just-"

"I said I don't." Link cut him off with a snapped reply. There was a sloppy attempt that he made on pushing himself off the dumpster, hitting the ground too hard, and he lurched forward, and Ghirahim had his arms around Link's midsection, tugging him back so his chest was snug against Link's back.

"Link." Ghirahim had his mouth at Link's ear, serenading him with harsh whispers. "If you tell anyone about what happened here, I can guarantee there will be trouble. I want you back here tommorow at the same time, and inevitably, you will start liking this."

Rynae arrived back at that moment, his hands full of tissue and wipes, and he started to clean up Link's face carefully, a worried expression on his features.

Ghirahim hated everything and he wanted everything to go curl up and die.

He wanted to curl up and die.


	5. Chapter 5

After the incident with Link, and as the younger teen had raced off, Ghirahim had taken it into his own hands to polish off the bottle of wine. There wasn't exactly enough to get him drunk, but there was enough to make his judgement a little fuzzier and the voice just that much harder to listen to. Why he loved that feeling of not being able to think about anything, acting on impulse, but it wasn't always the greatest.

The wine glasses had been forgotten, and Ghirahim was taking swigs from the bottle, Ardaia and Rynae gone. He was alone with his thoughts. And it could be either good or bad in this situation, as that inner demon of his had a bite that was pretty damned strong, and it wasn't something that he could escape from all too easily.

_I need something to keep me grounded… But nothing lasts forever… _He thought as he took another sip, eyes glazed over in thought, tears welling up in his eyes, but he wasn't about to cry. No, that would ruin his image. Ghirahim sighed, placing a hand on his face before draining the last of the bottle, shaking his head. He needed to get to class, and he brought the bottle with him, hiding it in his locker before heading off to his next class, sighing.

English, with that new guy, what was his name? Kakamart? Jakamer? Jaken? Whatever. He'd be fun to mess with anyways, and he pushed open the door, a wide grin on his lips. He had this class with Link as well. Well, at least he had someone who could possibly help him if an attack started, which hopefully wouldn't be at school anytime soon.

He glanced at the teacher, bowing to him, hopefully going to screw him over in confusion, the wine providing enough of a veil between him and reality, and what the hell was in his head, all his fears…

"Excuse me, but, err, who are you?" The teacher asked him as he straightened up from the bow he gave the teacher. Jakamar, that's what his new teacher's name was.

"I am called Ghirahim." He spoke, his voice coming out like a king, which is what he was, or at least tried to be over most of the school population. He started towards the back, where he usually sat in his classes, glancing over to grin at Link, his discomfort obvious. How had his friend looked at him when he saw him? Oh well, not that his condition had any consequence to him. He stood there for a short period of time, Link glancing away, not making eye contact with him. How pleasing, he was scared.

He did have to sit down for class, so he continued on his way, glaring at the pompadour-styled freak and his band of cronies before stopping at his favoured place.

"You're sitting in my seat." He snapped at Groose, his voice dangerously soft. "And you know how _angry _that makes me." He didn't like others sitting in his favourite spots in a class, usually at the back so the collateral of his outbursts if he had any would have lesser damage done to the class atmosphere. It would be confined to the back of the class, but nope, nothing was as he liked as usual. And it pissed him off honestly.

"What? I was here first." Groose's tone made Ghirahim's focus snap and there was the angry drunk he had a habit of being as his fist slammed down on the desk and he leaned in close to Groose's face.

"Well, now, I'm going to sit here." He told him, his eyes narrowed, staring at Groose's defiant gold eyes. "So, if you, along with your dim-witted companions could_ kindly_ get your asses off of those seats-"

He was interrupted by the newest teacher of the school, the teacher who knew him least, why couldn't he have had Owlan? Oh, yes, he didn't _teach_ English. For fuck's sakes. "Boys, boys!" And Ghirahim could guess he was about to attempt to separate the two teenagers from what could –and already was- something quite nasty.

"Don't involve yourself in this, old man." Ghirahim snapped towards the teacher, his voice sharper, and he internally winced as it rung in his head. "You're new here, unlike me. And whether you want to believe it or not, I could seriously hurt you. So leave me to my own affairs, please, and save me the trouble of showing where you belong." He had swiveled around, a dark grin appearing on his lips, a thin silver eyebrow quirked up under his bangs, hidden out of sight and he glanced at the movement of the one student who had been facing away from him this entire time.

Link was a brave one, that was sure, brave and curious, but that got people into trouble, poking their noses into where they didn't have any business being. Curiosity was, well, a curious thing. And then one stood up and he turned, seeing Zelda standing there, her little hands that wouldn't hurt a fly but were capable of much worse planted on her hips. He was taken over by fear, but laughed at the weak glare that was aimed at him.

"Oh, here comes trouble." He mockingly announced, his voice slurred by the alcohol's vice, the vice he invited it to have on his mind. It was better being drunk than the victim to the voices in his head.

"Ghirahim." She acknowledged him, and she was furious. She stepped forward, around the teacher too stunned to do much. "It's one thing to harass the students here, but teachers? What is wrong with you?" She looked him in the eyes, although she had to tilt her head back to do so. He shook his head in return, the grin staying on his lips, never breaking eye contact with Zelda, even though everything was telling him to run.

She and her father would adore this. Him finally cracking so they could shuttle him away from their pure, uncrazed society to be locked up in a white room, his arms in a straitjacket so he wouldn't be able to harm himself or others. Locked away in solitary.

_Your fault for everything, you useless wad of garbage. Hopeless cretonne. Mama dearest gone to a place you can't see her at, and daddy dearest locked up, and just like him, you'll be locked up, either like him, or in that padded cell you fear the most. _His most hated thing ever taunted him, even as he was drunk enough to avoid the thing whispering all his worst fears into his ear.

_Shut the fuck up. You don't run my life._

_Yes, I don't, but I can wreck you. You're on a one way trip to self-destruction and the brakes aren't accessible to you._

"You think that because your father is the big boss, you're in a position to speak to me?" Ghirahim asked, placing his hands and glaring in imitation of and at the blonde.

"Yes, I do happen to think just that, and in fact, Ghirahim," Zelda started, "I think everyone in this room -in this school- has a right to speak up to you."

He sighed mentality, staying silent for a few moments before bending down to get in her face before he spoke.

"_Boo._"

Zelda took a step backward, shock clear on her face and her composure breaking long enough to show that her breath caught. Ghirahim straightened up, starting a laugh that was madder than he was, throwing his head back.

Zelda made a sound of annoyance, her back straighter than the flagpole outside the school. "We're _sick _of this, Ghirahim. Something's going to be done about your behaviour, mark my words."

_You can start by leaving me the hell alone, little princess. As well, keep your little trap shut._ He thought.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "You're going to tell your Daddy? Dear little Zelda, are you familiar with the concept of blackmail?" There was a curt nod from her in response.

"Well then, if you and your precious friends want to have a nice stay at this school, you might want to keep your mouth shut and stay out of my way."

The teacher was speechless this time and he stepped around Zelda, going to attempt to intervene. Ghirahim glared at him as he spoke.

"Now, kids, let's not-" Ghirahim cut him off.

"Didn't you hear me the first time? _Stay out of the way_." He growled, pushing by the two of them to leave the classroom when he found his way blocked by a certain student who was more or less dealing with a hangover courtesy of him and his friends.

"Aren't you looking awfully happy today, Link?" He grinned, after his smile momentarily slipped from his lips. "So good to see you this eager on your first day."

Link swayed, obviously still affected by the glasses of wine he had been forced to drink, and smoke scented his clothing. _Dreadfully sorry, Link_. A better part of him apologized to him. Link glared at him, which was probably something that was a big accomplishment for him in his current state.

"Leave them alone…" The order was weak, obviously a strain for Link at the moment. Oh, how cute and adorable of him to stand up for people he hardly knew in his state. "You shouldn't… You shouldn't be doing this…"

Ghirahim raised his right eyebrow before reaching out and pushing Link's shoulder, and the unstable teen toppled over, and the little princess stomped over and offered a hand to help the newest of Ghirahim's victims to his feet.

"Would you just give it a break?" Zelda asked him, turning on him.

"I was about to." He said matter-of-factly, "but your little friend here got in the way."

"He's a new student; there's no reason for you to bully him around."

_Yeah, but he's a distraction, I'm so alone, Zelda. I bet you could never be able to understand that. _

"Oh, _please_," Ghirahim sighed. "I'm just as nice as any of you louts. Now, if you'll excuse me."

He swept past the two of them, continuing out the door with his head held high, and when he was far enough away from the class, Ghirahim found a place to curl up and pulled his phone out and started to text Ardaia and Rynae.

_Someone please help me from the path I'm set on…_

The next day was a little better, and Ghirahim spent the first class focusing on the lesson being given, jotting down notes, listening to Owlan's lesson. He always listened the best in his classes, and it was a comfort to Ghirahim knowing that. When the bell rang, he proceeded to the next class, to Horwell.

He could swear the two teachers were either brothers or lovers, as they spent most of their time together when they weren't teaching, and he had seen them around together at the mall. Well, they could just be drinking buddies.

He sat down at the back without any incident today, which was something he quite enjoyed, and when it turned out that the day's art project was for everyone in the class to draw anything they liked, Ghirahim drew the one person he had found his attention locking on to all the time, and he wasn't sure if he found that annoying or… oddly endearing.

He softly drew out Link, his head down, but it was clear who exactly he created, and he let himself be absorbed in the land of his mind, a small smile on his lips, hardly visible unless one decided to look at his expression enough to look at to actually learn when he showed different emotions, but it was unlikely unless they befriended him.

But who would exactly befriend him. He wasn't… normal. He wasn't the usual friend someone could have and that could be either good or bad when someone knew his quirks and learned about his condition, but his condition alone would be something that people wouldn't exactly like in a friend.

Anyways, when he was done, it was placed on the wall and he smiled at his work for a moment before noticing that Link had pinned his art up and was now looking over the other drawings by other students, standing in front of a self-portrait drawn by one of the other students, and he placed a hand on the teen who always seemed to dress in variations of the colour green, and he spotted a wonderful forest hanging on the wall only a short distance away.

"You painted the forest, am I right?" Ghirahim smiled at the other when Link turned around to look at him.

"Yeah, go ahead and laugh at it." He grumbled, and Ghirahim laughed a little.

"It's good." Ghirahim honestly insisted. _Damn, Link, look at you! Can't you see you have the potential for more than you let on? _"I really do think it looks good. Don't worry your precious little head about my odd sense of humour. I'm not laughing at _you_."

"Which one is yours?" Link waved a hand at the other paintings and Ghirahim pointed at the one he had drawn. Link's eyes went wide as he realized who exactly he had drawn, after all, Ghirahim didn't see any flaws or errors in the drawing.

"You… you painted me?" Link turned on him and asked. Ghirahim bounced on his toes just slightly, feeling positively giddy about the situation.

"Every time I see you, you look confused and lost, but no matter how miserable you may be, your eyes never fail to strike me. And they complement your hair nicely, too. You make for a fantastic model." Ghirahim stated cheerfully, happy to tell Link about his looks. Link was quite attractive, and Ghirahim felt a very faint heat build in his cheeks when he watched Link look over the painting he had created so carefully.

"Do you like it?" Ghirahim asked, his voice hopeful. Maybe he was letting himself get too attached to the other teen. It was only a matter of time before he found out about his condition and pushed him away like everyone else had to him in his life.

"It's…" Link started. "Well, it's incredible. But did you have to paint me?" He asked, blue eyes turning to look at Ghirahim.

He shrugged in return. "As I said, you make a great model. You don't blink a lot, do you know that?" He pointed out to the younger teenager.

"I don't care!" Link snapped, and Ghirahim internally flinched at the sudden outburst. _That's it, he hates me._ He thought. _He hated me more, but he probably hates me more now. I should just die, it'd save everyone the trouble of talking to me, thinking about me, knowing me…_ "Just… It's really good. You really have talent. But from now on, don't draw me."

Ghirahim cried out internally at the last bit. He was so stunning and beautiful, like the rarest flower.

But like the rarest flower… flowers got crushed and flowers died, and their beauty was not forever.

Link was not a flower. He was, but he was a weed.

He grinned mischievously anyways. "Of _course_ not. This was just a once-off." _I'll still probably draw you at home, Link… Where you can't see unless I invite you in. After all… I like you a little bit. I just have screwed up ways of showing my affection._

Link nodded curtly, and turned to join his friend again. A few moments later, the bell rang and he headed off to his next class.

After the period ended, he was faced with gym after lunch, which was a class he adored, because after all, he was strong. Eventually Link would know why he was strong, and how he got strong. It was only a matter of time after all.

He waited for Link at the point he had met him the day before, and eventually the green hoodie wearing boy came into his view, looking moderately surprised. He looked like he had just withheld a shout of surprise.

"Why are you here?" Link asked Ghirahim, and he gave Link a small smile.

"I'm here to escort you. Come along then." He turned, Link behind him. When they arrived at the dumpsters, Rynae and Ardaia were already perched on top of the dumpsters, Ardaia's long hair neatly plaited like he had seen Zelda wearing her hair.

"Looks good, right?" Ardaia grinned at Link, and Ghirahim turned. Link must have been staring at the way it was plaited. It was just hair after all, and it was quite nice on Ardaia. Though Ghirahim was not going to voice it. Such compliments were for his boyfriend to tell him. Oh, those two and the antics they got into. "There was a little blond girl with her hair done up neat. I think she's in your grade, Link."

Rynae shook his head at Ardaia, Ghirahim knowing that later that hair was getting taken out of the pretty braid one way or another. "It's absolutely ridiculous." Rynae announced exasperatedly.

Ardaia winked at the newest to their group. "Well, Link thinks it looks awesome, right?"

Link had this grin on his face. "Sure." He replied. Ardaia cheered in return, and Ghirahim dramatically tapped his foot on the ground, giving his friend a look of mock severity.

"It occurred to me that I never answered your question from yesterday." Ghirahim smoothly mused, turning to Link.

"What question?" Link was visibly confused.

"You asked me how I got so strong!" Ghirahim announced. "And here's the answer! Ardaia, Rynae and I fight each other. And now you have an opportunity to join in on the fun!"

"What?!" Link spluttered. "I'm not fighting anyone!"

"Oh, honestly, Link." Ghirahim shook his head, "It's all very friendly. No one holds any grudges or anything." He stopped moving his head and his hair fluttered back into place, while his friends gave Link positive hand gestures.

"Give it a go, Link," Ardaia pleaded with him. "It'll be worth it in the long run, we promise. Don't you want to buff up and attract the eyes of countless women?"

"You guys would just beat me up." Link protested and Ghirahim had to smile at it.

"No way," Rynae shook his head. "We'd go easy on you, no worries."

"For now…" Ghirahim grinned, speaking slyly. "Besides, Link's eyes are set on the lovely Zelda: the very same girl whose hairstyle you replicated, Ardaia."

Rynae grinned and Ardaia raised his thin eyebrows in surprise. Ghirahim laughed internally but a part of him worried. What if Link was spying for her, what if he was going to be taken away by her, siren calls in the sea of the school, luring him away to supposed safety.

_Link, you're safe with me, she's a cold blooded bitch who isn't afraid to stab you in the back. I'm sure she'd be glad to put me away somewhere where I won't be able to touch you. I'm not that bad, Link. I just have problems. Most of them starting with the letter Z._

"_That's_ Zelda?" Ardaia questioned Ghirahim. "The little girl who bossed you around yesterday?"

"She _didn't _boss me around." Ghirahim snapped, his pride and his fears getting the better of him. "Anyway, you can be sure that's who Link's trying to attract the attention of." He teased Link. All the while, his stomach sank.

"Well, why don't you get fighting?" Rynae asked Link.

"Not happening." Link muttered and Ghirahim turned his full attention on Link. Was he scared? Poor thing. It was absolutely adorable! He planted a hand on his hip and stared him down and Link glanced at him quickly and looked away just as quickly as he started to look at him.

"Hey," Ardaia spoke up, lifting a hand to prove his point. "It's not like he's got to fight today. What if we just give him a demonstration?"

Ghirahim clapped his hands together to show that he approved of the idea. That was quite a brilliant idea, but he was not going to show how he fought, after all… Link was his guest here and he should be a wonderful host. "An excellent idea!" He turned to Link with anticipation lighting his expression. "Rynae and Ardaia can show you what they've got. They're both good fighters in their own rights."

The two of them gave him reactions that showed how they thought of his 'good fighters', Rynae clearing his throat and Ardaia scoffed.

"Good?" Ardaia echoed. "Oh, all right. Let's show Link what a 'good' fight looks like, Rynae?"

Rynae shrugged, pulling off his jumper over his head and tossing it aside. "I suppose we could. Why don't you hop up on that dumpster with Ghirahim, Link, and enjoy this."

Ghirahim had a small smile on his lips as he directed Link towards the dumpster, leaping up with practised ease and examined the back of his hand before Link was a weak dumpster climber at the moment and extended a hand out to assist the teenager up to sit beside him.

Ardaia and Rynae made a point of flexing, something that usually had Ghirahim in a fit of giggles when Rynae compared himself to the taller (and stronger) Ardaia.

"This will be quite fun to watch." Ghirahim mused softly to his companion. "Ardaia and Rynae are polar opposites." And yet they fit together like puzzle pieces and Ghirahim had to admit a part of him was a little jealous of how easy they had that relationship, where-as Ghirahim usually wore against another, his walls usually eroding a possible best friend away and leaving them behind as a druggie. His destructive path… he hoped one day he'd get off of it. It wouldn't be any time soon. Not with Zelda and her father waiting for him to crack.

"Wait!" Ardaia cried quite excitedly, cutting into Ghirahim's train of thoughts and derailing them and bring them back to the present, to reality. "I say we each take a drink!"

"Interesting." Rynae announced, his eyes flashing with amusement, and Ghirahim smiled at his friends. "You planning on sneaking me extra so you can win?"

"As if!" Ardaia retorted, a friendly smile on his face. "Ghirahim! Some wine!"

Link's hands held the two glasses, Ghirahim pouring them rosé wine and taking them from Link and passed them to Ardaia, and received a wink for his troubles. They both downed their glasses in a gulp, an impressive feat.

Rynae returned the glasses and Link leaned over, scooping them back up and passing them to Ghirahim. The pale teen felt a smile grace his lips at the ease that Link scooped them up. He must have been used to helping with the dishes. "Here, take one." He passed one back to Link and reopened the rosé he had just recorked only moments ago and poured some for Link before pouring himself.

"I don't like this." Link's stubborn tone came and Ghirahim merely clinked his glass against Link's in a cheer.

"_Adjust_." He merely replied, turning to face the two who stood opposite each other, Ardaia's neatly braided hair swinging behind him.

"You ready, little man?" Ardaia grinned, Rynae making a sound of annoyance, glowering at the other.

"Just because you're freakishly tall doesn't mean you can tease other people about their height." Rynae's voice was sharp, but he was still smiling at the other.

Ghirahim worked his way through his wine, watching the two. "When you two are _quite_ done with all the sexual tension, I'd like you two to get started so that Link can actually see some of the action we promised him." _And not ready to go at it._ He mused

Rynae shot him a deadly glare and Ghirahim smiled. Ardaia laughed.

"If you insist!" He grinned, launching forward at Rynae without another word. The distance between them closed, and Link squirmed beside him.

"Rynae, move!" Ghirahim cackled, his whole body shaking with the momentum of it, Rynae vaulting over Ardaia, landing behind him, while the redheaded teen skidded to a stop and turned.

The two restarted how they circled each other like a pair of vultures about to strike each other in the desert. "No point telling Rynae to move," He spoke, "he can get around pretty quickly. Ardaia's strong, but he lacks that speed. However, if he lands a hit, it's going to be pretty bad for Rynae."

"Not that he's going to land one." Rynae called up to the two seated together on the dumpster. He grinned as Ardaia stuck his tongue out at the other.

"We'll see about that."

Ardaia charged him again, the wiry of the two teens shooting up into the air, but instead of the success, Rynae grabbed him around the waist, Ghirahim flinching inwardly at the grab.

"Here's where things'll get interesting." He mused, hearing a small noise from Link.

Rynae struggled, before Ardaia tossed him like a doll, sending him flying through the air and landed sharply on the ground with a thud. The younger teen beside him moved to help him, but Ghirahim quickly barred his way with an arm thrust out in front of his chest.

"Don't." Ghirahim's voice was soft, he needed Link to see this, because everyone needed to know how to fight to protect themselves, and Link needed to know that, but it was also dangerous. Especially in the hands of someone like him. "If Rynae can't get up, that's his problem.

Ardaia ran swiftly towards Rynae again, the other seemingly unmoving. Just as he neared, Rynae's hand shot out and grabbed Ardaia's ankle, giving a sharp tug and pulling the other teen to join him on the ground.

_Oh thank god the landing didn't hurt him. _Ghirahim thought, worried for his friend. He knew this was dangerous, but it was an escape. Everything they did was.

Besides, if something happened to him, who'd miss him if he landed badly and hurt himself mortally in one of the fights?

Not very many people would, that's for sure. Many people would be glad to see him go in reality. Saves Zelda and her father the trouble of putting him away.

Ardaia let out an _oomph_ as he joined his favourite person on the ground, the two laughing. Ghirahim let a small smile grace his lips as he looked at the two. Even like that, after a fight, they could still laugh.

Not many people would be like that with him. He doubted anyone even cared that much about him, other than his mother, who…

He missed her, that was all.

He shook his head, keeping up appearances. "Honestly, if that's all you fools can do to impress our guest, then I may begin to think you useless." He teased, Ardaia pulling Rynae to his feet.

"Whatever." He called. "As if you can do any better."

Ghirahim simply smiled in return. "Tommorow, I'll fight Link."

The glass in Link's hands fell to the ground, the wine spilling out onto the ground, the glass itself rolling away to one side.

Ardaia shook his head in imitation of Ghirahim, planting his hands on his hips and Rynae laughed.

"I'm not fighting _you_." Link stated, panic clear in his expression. "You'd destroy me!"

"Why, thank you for the complement." Ghirahim flashed him a smile. "But it's been settled. Ardaia, please bring little Link back to the school." He glanced at Link. "I don't think you'd be sick after half a glass. At least, I hope not."

The three gave him their usual send off, Ghirahim wondering what Link's lips would feel like if he kissed him, but the thought was quick and fleeting. The two parted, Ghirahim staring slightly wistfully at Link's back as they turned the corner.

His affections for Link were a little more than he had wanted in the first place, but he couldn't control who he fell for, and it always seemed that anyone he fell for was someone who he couldn't touch. After all, who would come to love a monstrous thing like him? He wasn't normal, and Link did deserve better.

What he was making Link go through was something that made his heart sink, and he was not going to let Link know of his condition. Not now, and not ever.

He was such an idiot.


	6. Chapter 6

**Pardon the lack of updates. I've been away for four weeks without internet most of the time, but I've got quite a bit of writing that will flood your author alerts with emails because of how often. I have a fem!Link/Ghirahim coming up entitled Beastly, and updates for others, and chapter seven is in the works and let me tell you, chap 15 of Threads of Fate is fuckin painful, so watch out guys! **

Gym was nothing spectacular. Just another class, and today it seemed that Parrow was arming the teenagers with deadly rubber balls. It was always a pain when a ball caught one in one's crotch, something he always found a small laugh in, unless it was him who was on the receiving end of said toss.

Link was on the opposite side of the gym, the taller teen remaining at the back of his own, his hood up and hiding part of his face, a security he liked.

He just couldn't shake what he had said to Link, about fighting him the next day. When he got into a fight, sometimes he couldn't quite control where a fist flew, and he hoped that the fight wouldn't be one of those ones.

Link dodged a ball, his friend scooping it up and smacking Orielle in the back as she chatted unassuming to a friend.

"Orielle!" Parrow yelled at her. "You're letting me down, sis! You're out!"

Link's friend laughed, a cackle almost, but his victory was short lived as a ball smacked him in the face, something quite painful. Zelda was eliminated, something Ghirahim had overlooked at the moment, but as long as he stayed away from her… He chased a ball down, whipping it back at Link's ankles, watching as he hopped to the left and looked up for whoever made the attempt on his status in the game. Ghirahim grinned and waved at him. The wave was taunting and it sent a ball in reply.

The pale teen leaned backwards, the ball sailing right over him, and he caught it, sending it back to the other side mockingly. Link seemed a little angry about something as he stormed after it, but was hit out, and he stormed off to the benches.

Ghirahim continued to play, taking out two more members of Link's team with ease, and the others on his side gave him a little more room, as if he had decided to turn the game into fireball.

Ah, he was a loose cannon in that game, no sides, and everyone was against everyone. Something he excelled at, as it was pretty much his life.

His team won, and Ghirahim threw his hands up in the air as the other members of his team cheered and jeered at the others, various taunts being tossed around. He noticed that Link had been speaking with his friend.

_You'll never have a friend. A real friend, and you will never find anyone. It would be better for the world anyways. Even if you did manage to make yourself a husband to someone, your kid would end up just like you. A nutjob._ His voice taunted, and Ghirahim ignored it, rolling his eyes and moving to leave the gym.

"Yes, we won," He announced. "But it's not like any of you did anything worthwhile."

Ghirahim turned the thought about Jakamar's pick for the book of the year. Les Miserables. Ardaia seemed to enjoy it, and he remembered that he had dragged the two out to see the movie when it was in theatres. He did have to admit, he had quite enjoyed it, and he found himself buying the movie for Ardaia for his birthday and he had learned I Dreamed a Dream on piano, practicing until it was perfect.

Ghirahim was quite smug that he had managed to keep his usual seat and not lose it to Groose and his bumbling fools he had as friends. At least Rynae and Ardaia could hold an interesting conversation.

He noticed that Link avoided him during the remainder of the day, and when the bell rang, he made his way to Orwell's lab for his twenty minutes before his driver came to pick him up. Sometimes the chats with his teacher did nothing but make him feel worse about everything than he already did, and it was something he didn't want someone like Zelda finding out about, especially when his condition was often the topic of choice, sometimes the subjects he studied on his own.

After that, he was driven to his guardian's home and making his way to his room to work on his homework before spending the remainder of the day staring out his bedroom window, trying to think if he should practise, but he wasn't very hungry, and he eventually just buried his face in his pillow, falling asleep.

It was better than being the victim of his voices.

He dreamt that night that he didn't have the problems he did, that he didn't have paranoid schizo, that he wasn't going to be shipped away. He was talking happily with Rynae and Ardaia, Link beside him, their fingers entwined. He dreamt that he had friends, and he wasn't as alone as he was, and people actually liked him and no one feared him.

He dreamt that Link loved him, and nothing could be worse in the morning when he woke up and realized everything he had seen was nothing but a mere fantasy.

That's what broke his heart the most, and he turned onto his side, a tear falling from his left eye and rolling over the bridge of his nose to splash onto the pillow below his head.

The morning rolled by, and Link was sitting in his seat by the time Ghirahim entered, sitting beside him. Seeing Link appear so tired made his heart sink. He wasn't as cold as people thought. Oftentimes it was nothing but a front, because he was really someone who needed a kind hand to guide him and someone with a whole lot of patience to do the guiding.

He seated himself, laying out his things before pulling his phone out and updating the string of texts that made up his constant information network to keep him pretty much sane. He hadn't mentioned his dream, nor the heartbreak he felt when he woke up and found that everything he had seen and felt and heard was a lie.

He needed some positive attention in his life that wasn't forced and didn't come from his guardian (who at times seemed a tad positive-negative) or the two young men he called his friends. He looked at Link, looking him over, breaking himself out of his thoughts for the moment.

"Something wrong?" He asked, taking in wide blue eyes and drumming nervous fingers. When he received no response, he simply continued. "Oh, that's right! I almost forgot about our little fight today. Are you looking forward to it? Because I know I certainly am."

"I could think of a hundred things I'd rather be doing." Link muttered.

Ghirahim feigned hurt, placing a hand on his chest. "Well, that stung." He widened his eyes as he spoke. "No matter. I imagine it will be a lot of fun; don't you think so?"

"It'll be fabulous." Link muttered, and Ghirahim laughed, catching the tone of sarcasm Link used.

"Indeed it will be. Ah, here comes Owlan, ready to teach us absolutely nothing of worth." He snarked. He did like Owlan, but what he taught in class paled in comparison to what he had studied on his own.

"Are you really that _arrogant_?" Link asked, Ghirahim turning to him as their teacher began to shuffle and organize papers on his desk after giving the class a smile.

"Didn't you listen to me during our first lesson?" He demanded, scowling at the younger teen. _God, how ignorant and rude are you?_ "I did say that they teach us nothing at all, and I was being completely honest with you. Owlan tries, but he's old. The 'science' we learn in here is nothing compared to what I've learned."

The look Link gave him was one of someone who didn't really believe him. "And what is that you've studied that's so wonderful?"

Ghirahim let a large smile grace his lips, happy that the fact someone wanted to know about his personal studies. Science was something he enjoyed very much. Link seemed to have a smile on his lips in response to how Ghirahim's face lit up. "Oh, particle physics, it's simply fantastic. And psychology is easily one of the most fascinating things I've come across in a long time. Science is everywhere, but no one takes the time to notice it or appreciate it."

He stared at Link, wanting and waiting for a response. The younger teen looked surprised, and Ghirahim smiled. "That's a nice look on you." He spoke dryly and received a glare from Link before he turned away and listened to Owlan.

"Today I'm going to test your basic knowledge of science." Owlan announced, Ghirahim rolling his eyes. "Just to see what you can remember from last year. There are three sections, divided evenly among Biology, Chemistry and Physics, of course. I want you to try and answer everything. If you can't remember an answer, just try an educated guess."

The teacher passed out the sheets and returned to his desk, flipping open his laptop, a typical habit of his he had in all the classes he taught, and Ghirahim could vouch for that, seeing as he had him for three of his classes.

He rolled his eyes again, seeing how basic the sheet was, and he worked his pencil across the page quickly, jotting down the answers to the questions typed neatly on the sheet. He finished and looked at Link, who seemed to be struggling with it.

Had he not learned anything of this at his old school? Oh, the poor thing.

He wrote down an answer and Ghirahim doubted it was even the right one, but he was trying and that's what counted. He cleared his throat after a few minutes, that amount of time being how long he had been finished with his work. Link looked up wearily at him.

"What is it?" Link asked, propping his head on a fist, and in response, Ghirahim tugged his sheet closer to him, looking over it. Indeed, he had only answered three out of the thirty. He was struggling, and it could be an idea to tutor him before exams start.

"A tropism," He started, referring to _ is a tropism?_ "is the growth of a plant in response to a stimulant."

Link wrote it down, keeping his eyes down and avoiding looking him in the eyes.

"Thanks." He murmured. "So I'm guessing that phototropism has something to do with a plant needing light to grow."

"The plant grows in the direction of the nearest light source. Geotropism is the term for the plant's roots growing downwards to absorb nutrients." Ghirahim replied, a small smile on his lips. _Science!_

Link noted it down, looking up at the clock every so often, his hand shaking slightly as he wrote. He was scared of the fight, and Ghirahim was a little wary about his control over his fists, and he hoped that everything wouldn't go to shit.

"Please tell me that you know a little about how gas exchange works," Ghirahim darkly muttered, placing his chin on his fist.

He drummed his fingers on the desk as Link glanced at the question, moving his fingers and concentrating on that to avoid what lurked in his mind, and to keep that dream away. He didn't want that reminder lurking around, but he doubted it would change anything. His fingers tapped on the desk as he concentrated on pretending he was playing his piano, something to distract him.

"Err, gas exchange… oh! That's in the lungs, right?" Link asked hopefully. He had that right.

"Where exactly?" He prompted, hoping Link remembered that the lungs were comprised of alveoli and bronchioles and connected to the trachea, which connected just at the back of the mouth to the esophagus with a flap of skin that kept food and drink from going to the lungs and air going to the stomach.

"Ah… The inside?" _Oh my god. _

"Oh, heaven above." He groaned. "In the alveoli! Weren't you ever taught anything?"

"Hey!" Link snapped. "The school I went to before this was awful; you can't blame me for not knowing all of this."

Ghirahim shrugged. _One is only as good as their teacher, after all. Or how interested they are in a subject to pursue it on their own._ He thought. "I suppose. But really, anyone with any common sense knows that leaves are designed for photosynthesis, not the petals." Link's pencil moved to strike out his answer and replace it with the proper one. _Oh, I'm going to need to tutor him_.

The next ten minutes was pretty much Ghirahim explaining atomic bonding and recited definitions for various terms in physics, helping Link out with the remainder of the questions, and Link diligently wrote them down.

The sheets were handed back to Owlan, and Ghirahim stretched, yawning. His shoulder was a little sore, but it wasn't too bad. Lunchtime was arriving after all, and Link seemed to grow a tiny fraction more anxious with each passing second.

"Tell me," Ghirahim started, staring up at the ceiling absently, his eyes unfocused. "What other subjects do you find difficult?"

"Why do you want to know?" Link replied.

"Just curious." He was. He wanted to know more about Link and how his mind worked. He figured out more of his physical breakdown, and a little bit of his mind on the first day, and that sheet that was covered on both sides was joined by a second sheet at home that he wrote down notes about Link, things he had learned about Link. Rynae and Ardaia were as clueless about him as he was, but he knew a bit more on him.

"Hm, I don't know… Maths?" Link spoke, and Ghirahim looked at him, raising his eyebrows.

"I expected as much from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Link asked.

"Oh, nothing. Do you always scrunch your nose up when you try to concentrate?" Ghirahim noted one of the other things that he had noticed out loud to the other teen.

Link looked perplexed, Ghirahim giving him a small smile. He was rather adorable at times, and looks of confusion always seemed to be the ones that he looked better with, but he liked when Link smiled, and he was a little jealous at the fact that most of his honest and cheery smiles were reserved for his friends. He had gotten a few, but he preferred to see Link happy.

_There's just something that would never happen. Just another lie from my dream that went on. I could never make him happy, I'd just screw things up for him. I'd screw his future up, I've already screwed him up a bit… _He thought miserably.

"What? Where did that come from?" Link asked him, the look of confusion on his face something that Ghirahim tried to not think of.

"I was watching you write and I just happened to notice it. Honestly you get so touchy over small things." Ghirahim smiled.

Link blinked a few times. "That's… really weird." He muttered.

"Observing? I hardly think so."

The bell rung as Link opened his mouth to reply, and the class gathered up their things and stood up to rush to the cafeteria.

"Well, I'll be seeing you soon." Ghirahim called to Link as he stood up and left to go find a quiet place to eat some of the food he had brought for lunch, hoping to get something down, and he hoped he would be able to keep it down, as sometimes it didn't exactly agree with him and he ended up bringing it back up sooner or later, usually in the evening. He didn't have very many episodes at school where he got sick, which was something he was grateful for. He hated the taste of the lovely mix of hydrochloric acid and bile brought up from his stomach with whatever half-digested food he had eaten, partially the reason why he hadn't eaten in the morning.

His stomach grumbled as he opened his lunch and curled up, slowly eating the sandwich and a couple of the strawberries he had packed before he lost his appetite and packing it back up into his bag and getting to his feet.

The dream played over in his mind a few times, and Ghirahim ran a hand through the hair at the back of his head a few times. His palm stung and he tugged off his glove, looking at the pink scars on his palm, a bad habit he had of scratching at his palms until they bled when he broke down and had an episode. There were a few scabs on his other hand from the last one.

It was about ten minutes before Link was due to show up, and Ghirahim quickly made his way to their hangout, joining Rynae on the other dumpster, his bag behind it.

"Hey." He murmured. Rynae blinked.

"You okay? You look-" He started. Ghirahim raised a hand.

"I'm fine. I just had a bad dream last night. Pass me a cigarette, would you?" He admitted, sitting up and holding his hand out. Rynae shrugged and pulled out the pack, pulling one out and lighting it for Ghirahim.

"Do you want to talk about it? It's some time before Ardaia and Link arrive. I can keep a secret, after all, the two of us know about it, the only other person is Owlan, well, those who are here at the school." Rynae raised his eyebrows as Ghirahim took it, taking a puff of the cigarette.

"I'd rather not. It stings." He murmured.

"Oh?" Rynae leaned forwards, and Ghirahim seemed to be a little loose lipped at the moment, but he could trust Rynae and Ardaia after all, and he decided he would tell him about it.

"I'll tell you, but do not tell a soul." He pointed at him, a glare on his face.

"I promise." Rynae held his hands up.

Ghirahim looked down. "In my dream, the three of us were talking, I didn't hear any of the conversation, but we were happy, no alcohol or cigarettes in sight, and I felt like I didn't have such a broken mind." He tapped his temple. "Link was with us, and I… He… Well, we were holding hands, and I looked at him a few times, and he just seemed so happy with me, and there was a part that felt like I was liked a lot more by the other students, and I woke up just as Link put his head on my shoulder." He admitted, quickly getting it out.

"I'm guessing you have a bit of a thing for him?" Rynae grinned, and Ghirahim nodded. "Oh, that's adorable, Ghirahim."

He blushed a bit, taking a puff again, leaning back on the dumpster. "Uh, yeah. I guess. I'm just hoping somehow he'd keep my mind where it is, but you know what happens at times."

"I've seen." Rynae thumped down, and he heard a click, and he looked over, seeing Rynae smoking a cigarette himself. "And I know what your preference is."

"It hurts, knowing he likes her." Ghirahim's voice shook. Rynae sighed.

"Ghirahim, she's not going to…" He trailed off. "Ghirahim, just forget about it."

He didn't respond, lapsing into silence.

He heard distant laughter that sounded like Link's and he heard approaching footsteps.

"Our contender is here!" Ardaia yelled at them, unaware of the conversation that had gone on, but he could guess that Rynae would tell his boyfriend later. Just someone else he was jealous of.

He jumped a bit and sat up, scowling at the two. "You and your constant need to yell." He muttered, Ardaia flipping him off in a mock salute.

"You ready for this?" Rynae asked Link, and Ghirahim slid off the dumpster. Oh yes, the fight. He smiled, a little excited with the adrenaline that decided to start pumping then, even though it wasn't too much to screw him up yet.

Ardaia climbed up beside Rynae and received a glass as Ghirahim walked soundlessly towards Link. Rynae passed him the rose wine and Ghirahim gave Link a wide smile, locking eyes with him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax." He murmured, Link flinching away. "I promise up front not to murder you."

Panic flashed across Link's face and he laughed, pulling his hand away. He had a thin shoulder, and he didn't seem to be all that strong.

"I don't want to fight you." Link protested, Ghirahim dusting off his gloves.

"Too late to turn back now." Ghirahim grinned, probably a little too malicious for the situation. Link was already scared enough. "I do hope you are ready for this."

"We'll be cheering for you, Link." Ardaia called to Link, Ghirahim had his back turned to the other two.

"You'll be fine!" Rynae called, and Ghirahim started to assume his usual stature he took when he fought.

Link balled his hands into fists, visibly shaking, and the poor guy attempted to get into a ready position, and Ghirahim stood like a cat ready to pounce.

"This… This is unfair…" Link's voice shook. "You're taller, and a lot stronger."

"I'm not that much taller." Ghirahim retorted, breaking stance for a moment. "A few inches at most."

"Ghirahim stands at exactly five feet, eleven inches and a half." Ardaia pointed out. "I'm the tallest at six feet three. Rynae here is five feet nine, give or take half an inch. By the looks of you, Link, I'd say you're about five feet six, seven at most."

Link scowled. "Thank you for clarifying that."

Ghirahim shrugged, pulling off his hoodie and throwing it to the side. His shirt rode up a bit, the v-neck gripping his body and showed off his muscles. He tugged it down fluidly, and he noticed that Link was staring at him quite a bit. He grinned.

Was Link possibly _attracted _to him?

"Enjoying the view?" He grinned, still balanced on his feet.

Ardaia laughed loudly as Link fumed at Ghirahim. Link balanced, or attempted to, on his feet, similar to Ghirahim's own stance. He looked uneasy, something that had pretty much become his default look around Ghirahim.

More proof that he would be further away from his dream than ever.

"…Okay." He took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Ghirahim dashed forward, covering the short distance between the two and sent a punch flying into Link's stomach and Link reeled back, obviously losing his footing. He skidded to a stop and Ghirahim started to circle him, a wary look in his eyes as Link watched him.

"Come on, Link!" Ardaia called. "Get him back!"

Ghirahim's legs crossed over each other, circling Link and attempting to get around him. His mind raced as he started to work on strategies. Link turned slowly, tracking his movements. Adrenaline pulsed through his body.

He shot forward, his fist pulled back to hit, and suddenly, he whizzed past, quickly turning in surprise. Link had turned at the last second and avoided the hit.

_Nicely done_. The part of him that was very wary of his actions in this fight cheered Link on.

"Get him!" Rynae shouted, and Ghirahim could hear one of the two pounding their fists against the dumpster lid in anticipation.

"_Grab him!_" Ardaia shrieked, and Ghirahim was tackled to the ground by Link, a surprising action. It seems that Link was stronger than he looked. The two fell to the ground and wrestled for the upper hand. Link ended up out on top but Ghirahim caught his fist before he could make contact with him. He whirled them over. He leered over Link and grinned.

"Close." He murmured. "But not close enough."

His body raced with adrenaline, pinning Link down with a knee on either side of his body. Link wriggled and squirmed, before Ghirahim felt a punch to his stomach, and Link scrambled away and got to his feet as Ghirahim recovered from the punch.

"Good going, Link!" Ardaia cheered.

Ghirahim was on his feet and charged. He caught Link off guard as he wrapped an arm around his waist and scooped him up and throwing him to the ground. Link had enough sense to wrap his arms around his head to protect himself and Ghirahim's stomach twisted with excitement. He would win, he was going to win...

He bent over Link and pulled back his arm and punched him in the side of the face, and when he realized what he had done… his face was blank and he felt nothing except a touch of fear.

"Holy shit." Rynae spoke softly.

Ghirahim got off of Link, tense. He went too far. It was Link's first fight and he went too far…

Ardaia moved and came to scoop Link up, and Ghirahim never stopped staring. Link would start hating him even more. It hurt him, it stung him, and he wanted to curl up and die. He went too far…

"It's going to bruise." Ardaia murmured, the tone he took whenever Ghirahim had an episode at lunch, and Rynae was sent off to go get tissues. Ghirahim couldn't care about anything else except what he had done. Ardaia rounded on him. "What the hell was that?!"

That startled him, and his eyes were wide.

"His first time, and you nearly knocked him out! You could have killed him, for pity's sake."

"I _wouldn't_ have!" Ghirahim snapped, and a part of him wailed. He'd be sent away, imprisoned like his father. "I promised not to, didn't I?"

"You came close!"

"Just fix him up, Ardaia!" Ghirahim's voice shook and he watched as Ardaia turned to Link.

There were tears running down his cheeks. He moved and leaned against the dumpster, Ardaia pushing Link's hair away and checking out his forehead for bleeding.

Rynae returned, helping Ardaia clean up Ghirahim's mess, and Ghirahim knew Demise would question him again, especially if he got a call from the school about this, and especially if he caught sight of his stomach, which he was sure was going to bruise. He'd already heard about a few of the fights he and Rynae and Ardaia got into. His guardian hadn't been all that happy.

He remembered how furious his eyes had been after he had seen the state Ghirahim had been when he came home after school after he had had his first fist fight. He had visible bruises on his arms and one on his cheek.

Still, he had agreed to let him get the tattoo on his cheek. He had a lot to thank Demise for, especially taking him in. If not for him, he'd probably be out on the street somewhere.

Demise would know something was up that night. He would always be found playing the piano when something really troubled him and it would be one of those times today.

He climbed up, reaching out to touch Link's forearm and thought better of it, and slid a touch away from Link. He kept his head down, and he let a loud breath out through his nose.

"Look, I'm sorry I hurt you like that." He spoke with his head down, not wanting to look at anyone. Ardaia and Rynae looked at him in surprise and he looked up, glaring and growled at them. They looked away, shuffling their feet and Ghirahim turned his head to look at Link.

Link hopped off the dumpster and Ghirahim's stomach sank so deeply he doubted he would get rid of the heavy feeling any time soon.

"Link," He started, getting ready to hop down after Link. "I got carried away, I-"

"Don't talk to me!" Link shrieked and took off.

Ghirahim watched him dash away before he bent over, placed his head on his hands, his shoulders shaking as tears spilled down his cheeks. He felt the gazes of Rynae and Ardaia resting on him.

"I'm so sorry…" He spoke softly to no one. "I'm such a screw up."

Nothing ever went well for him.


End file.
